Category: Mamata Pandya

Plastics: From Saviour to Scourge

~ millennialmatriarchs ~ Leave a comment

Last week marked World Environment Day. The theme for this year was Beat Plastic Pollution. In events around the world to mark this day, much was discussed and written about the dire state of the environment due to the over-accumulation of plastic. In recent years plastics have become the bane of the environment. It is ironic that it is this material that was once hailed as a boon! The history of this ‘wonder material’ goes back to the mid-nineteenth century. 

This was a time when elephants and turtles were becoming seriously endangered due to demand for ivory and turtle shell which were used in the making of numerous things from piano keys and billiard balls, to combs. The biggest consumers of ivory were high-quality billiard balls. Between three and five balls could be made from a tusk, and at least two elephants needed to be killed to make one set of billiard balls. The increasing popularity of billiards in England as well as America, led to the slaughter of thousands of elephants. There was a serious threat to elephants, and also there was an increasing cost of ivory to make the balls.

This led to the quest for some man-made materials which could be used as substitutes. One of the earliest such attempts was to dissolve cotton fibres in nitric and sulphuric acids, and then mix these with vegetable oil. In 1862 an English chemist Alexander Parkes was the first to patent this new material with the name Parkesine. It was presented at the Great London Exposition in 1862, but it was not a commercial success.

In the meanwhile in America, Michael Phelan ‘the father of American billiards’ took out an ad in 1863 offering a sum of $10,000 for a substitute for ivory. John Wesley Hyatt, a young printer with no formal training in chemistry took up the challenge. He spent six years experimenting with various solvents. In one experiment he blended camphor with nitrocellulose and produced a hard mouldable substance that he called ‘celluloid’. He patented this in 1869, and along with his brother began to produce it in 1871, marketing it as a substitute for natural materials like ivory and tortoiseshell.  

As it turned out celluloid was not the perfect substitute for billiard balls; when two balls collided it produced a mini explosion. But the new material had a number of properties that made it attractive. It could be moulded into any form, hardened or left flexible; it was waterproof, it would not rot or corrode like metals; it was extremely durable, and it was cheap.

Celluloid was hailed as an environmental saviour. A sales pamphlet in 1878 claimed that “it will no longer be necessary to ransack the earth in pursuit of substances which are constantly growing scarcer”.

Celluloid was the first industrial plastic that would transform the world as multiple uses were found for it. It was followed by polyvinyl chloride or PVC. Since then plastics have undergone numerous stages of development. Plastic was not immediately adopted widely. But by the mid-20th century, as the benefits of this ‘trendy, clean, cheap’ material were loudly touted, plastic became ubiquitous, and took over every aspect of daily life.

The world embraced plastic with a clear conscience. The products made of plastic provided the added attraction of being easily disposable. The convenience of single- use throw-away products were extolled and countries like the United States made a whole-hearted example of this. The use-and-throw lifestyle became the aspiration of every society.

Today we are seeing the legacy of this throw-away lifestyle. The world is producing 300 million tonnes of plastic a year, a figure expected to triple by 2050. The chemical properties that have made plastic such a multi-use and durable material also makes its disposal difficult. Plastic takes a long time to degrade, in some types even thousands of years. Thus landfills are overflowing. Even the degradation of plastic is a serious environmental issue as it breaks down into microscopic particles that pollutes the oceans, land and the air. These micro-plastics are also accumulating in our bodies, the health impacts of which are not even known as yet.

The modern plastics industry relies on fossil fuels for its raw material contributing to global CO2 production. Thus the production of plastic also has an impact on climate change.

In the oceans, plastic ingestion and entanglement is harming and killing marine creatures including turtles. On land climate change is one of the factors that is changing habitats and endangering all living things from elephants to ants. Ironically, the material that was once celebrated as the saviour of these creatures is today the scourge of the environment across the globe.

 Sadly, over these decades the state of planet Earth has only deteriorated. The issues with overuse of plastic not only remain, but have been exacerbated. While there have been efforts in terms of policy initiatives, technological advances, and even public awareness these have not been able to cope with the even faster increase in plastic consumption, pollution, and waste generation. Even after decades of advocacy for Recycle, Reuse and Refuse, the picture is grim. In 2025 the world is expected to consume 516 million tonnes of plastics. And only 9% of all plastics produced as actually being recycled globally. The theme for WED 2025 ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’ spotlights the growing scientific evidence on the impacts of plastic pollution and hopes to sustain the momentum to refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle, and rethink plastics use.

— Mamata

The Potato Has Its Day

~ millennialmatriarchs ~ Leave a comment

I love potatoes in all forms, from French fries to aloo tikki! I am sure that I am a member of a global club of potato fans. And worldwide it surely is, because the potato is such a versatile vegetable that it finds its place in cuisines across the globe. Used in different forms from the simply boiled and mashed to being roasted, sautéed and topped with a variety of fancy toppings, potatoes provide tasty sustenance and comfort.

Potatoes have also been generally perceived as being ‘only starch’ and children are admonished when they gorge on potatoes; and reminded that they must eat their ‘green vegetables’ that provide greater nutrition. But wait! In recent times the potato has been elevated! It is celebrated for its nutritional value as well as its role in providing food and livelihood security. It has been recognized by the United Nations for its deep historical and cultural significance, and its evolving role in today’s global agrifood systems. The United Nations has even designated a day to be observed annually as the International Day of the Potato.

The potato traces its roots way back to the Andes where it originated, and was domesticated during the Inca civilization and was revered as ‘the flower of ancient Indian civilization’. Following domestication, these early potatoes spread through Mesoamerica and became a crucial food supply for indigenous communities. It was  particularly suitable as a staple foodstuff called chuño, a freeze-dried potato product that could last years or even decades.

The Spanish invasions of the mid-1550s dwelt a blow to the Inca Empire, but gave a new lifeline to the potato. The invaders took tubers across the Atlantic, as they did with other crops such as tomatoes, avocados and corn, in what historians call the Great Columbian Exchange. For the first time in history, the potato ventured beyond the Americas; and gradually established itself on the European continent. These tubers, first grown in Spain were then sent around Europe as exotic gifts to botanists, and even prominent figures like the Pope. The potato played a role in the rise of urbanization and fueled the Industrial Revolution. By the end of the 18th century, potatoes had become in much of Europe what they were in the Andes—a staple.

The potato also gained popularity with sailors as it provided nourishment during long voyages. It is likely that these staples spread widely across the world through these voyages, taking root on different continents. In fact the potato has been called the “world’s most successful immigrant”, as its origin has become unrecognisable for producers and consumers everywhere.

Since then, the potato has shaped civilizations and diets across continents over several centuries. Ireland’s Great Famine of the 1840s was caused by the failure of the potato crop due to a fungal disease. More than half the Irish population depended entirely on potatoes for nourishment, and the wiping out of the crop led to starvation or famine-related deaths of millions, while millions emigrated to escape this. On the other hand, it was the potato that alleviated famine in China during the Qing Dynasty, securing its place as an essential crop. During World War II and subsequent conflicts, the potatoes high yield and resilience provided food security amongst shortages of other food.

Today potatoes are a key crop across diverse farming systems globally, ranging from smallholders producing diverse local varieties in the Andes, to vast commercial, mechanised farms in different continents. The potato is the world’s fourth-most important crop after rice, wheat and maize, and among the first non-grains. China, India, Russia and Ukraine are among the world’s top potato producers. About two-third of the world population consumes potatoes as its staple food.

In the light of its global reach and popularity the United Nations also felt that it was important to highlight the important role of potatoes in contributing to food security and nutrition, as well as livelihoods and employment for people in rural and urban areas the world over.  

Small-scale and family farming production of the potato, particularly by rural farmers, including women farmers, supports efforts to reduce hunger, malnutrition and poverty, and achieve food security, and relies on and contributes greatly to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

Potatoes are not just a staple food but a symbol of resilience and adaptability. The potato is resistant to drought, cold, and barren land with wide adaptability. The crop’s versatility and ability to grow in a variety of conditions make it an advantageous crop choice. Potatoes provide accessible and nutritious food and improved livelihoods in rural and other areas where natural resources, especially arable land and water are limited and inputs expensive. Potatoes are also a climate-friendly crop, as they produce low levels of greenhouse gas emissions in comparison to other crops.

In addition, there is a wide spectrum of diversity among potatoes. This provides wide genetic variation with a range of traits, including the ability to adapt to different production environments, resistance to pests and diseases, and different tuber characteristics. There are efforts to preserve indigenous knowledge and ancient technologies, while ensuring that the production of native varieties remains under local control. The 12 000-hectare potato park located in the Andes near Cusco, Peru is one of the few conservation initiatives in which local communities are managing and protecting their potato genetic resources and traditional knowledge of cultivation, plant protection and breeding.

In order to acknowledge and honour the multiple contributions of the potato, and propelled by an initiative from Peru and the Group of Latin American and Caribbean countries, the United Nations designated 2008 as the International Year of the Potato. The objective was to raise the profile of this globally important food crop and commodity, giving emphasis to its biological and nutritional attributes, and thus promoting its production, processing, consumption, marketing and trade. In addition to being a food staple, potato by products are also being explored.Potato starch is being used as a sustainable alternative to traditional plastics. These materials based on potato proteins and starch can be used for various environmentally-friendly packaging, like food containers and medicine capsules.

In order to sustain the momentum, the United Nations decided, in 2024, to mark 30 May every year as the International Day of the Potato. The day highlights the importance of the crop in the movement towards sustainable development while celebrating the cultural and culinary dimensions of the crop’s cultivation and consumption.

Nutritionists say that potatoes contain nearly every important vitamin and nutrient, except vitamins A and D, making their life-supporting properties unrivalled by any other single crop. Keep their skin and add some dairy, which provides the two missing vitamins, and you have a healthy human diet staple.

So let us join the celebration this year with guilt-free indulgence of our favourite potato dish!

–Mamata

Growing Older With Ruskin Bond

~ millennialmatriarchs ~ 2 Comments
Photo source: https://www.bookedforlife.in

Ruskin Bond celebrated his 91st birthday on 19 May. One of India’s most well-known writers, Ruskin Bond has spent over seven decades as a prolific author, delighting readers of all ages with his simple, beautiful and ‘from the heart’ words. When many put down their tools of trade when they reach “retirement age”, Ruskin Bond celebrates every day of each advancing year with reminiscences, observations of life around him, and above all gratitude for the magic of Nature.

As he puts it: For writers, the nice thing about growing old is that it gives us more to write about—all those years of love, friendship, adventure, achievements, a changing country, a changing world, changing ways of life, history in the making. There may have been dull moments, but most of the time, something was happening—and things continue to happen today.

Many people who have been touched and inspired by Ruskin Bond’s writing have shared their memories. I feel that this is also my opportunity to pay my small tribute.

I was introduced to Ruskin Bond over three decades ago by Uncle Ken and Rusty. These were the characters in the first books that I translated. I was invited by the National Book Trust to translate two of Ruskin’s books into Gujarati. Having neither read him, nor having translated before this, but game for trying something new, I embarked on the project. I so enjoyed the madcap adventures of the eccentric Uncle Ken and the restless school boy Rusty, not just for the stories but for the simple style of writing and the lovely use of language. As a translator it was a challenge to try to retain the spirit and the form in another language.

Following this introduction I continued to follow Ruskin Bond on his wanderings and meanderings through his essays and columns. Here was someone who was not only sensitive to, and entranced by every minute detail of nature, but one who could share this evocatively through words. As an environmental educator who was trying to communicate the wonders of the world around us, and sensitize children to the intricate but fragile web of life, it was inspiring, and humbling to see how effortlessly Ruskin Bond could do just that.

Moving on, as the years went by, one could find new nuances and meaning in his words; words that also reflected the passage of time, both as it affected a human being, but also the environment of which we are all a part. With the passing years, Ruskin Bond’s prolific writing reflects his life journey.

It is the journey that fascinates him, the spirit of wandering and exploring that leads him, and the childlike joy of discovery that makes every step exciting. The adventure is not in the arriving, it’s the on-the-way experience. It is not the expected; it’s the surprise. You are not choosing what you will see in the world, but giving the world an even chance to see you.

Ruskin Bond reminds us that the journey will be much enriched when we use all our senses to the fullest. Sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. He highlights how each one is capable of giving us joy.

The eyes are our windows to the world, the great wide beautiful world that there is for all of us to marvel at—the skies, wandering clouds, mountains, forests, rivers, the sea; the moon, the stars, the rising sun—all the wonder of creation. The eyes see it all.  

And we hear too. We hear the sounds of nature—the wind, the rain, the sound of birds. We hear the voices of our friends, our loved ones. We hear great music. There is so much to hear and enjoy.

And we smell. The fragrance of roses, of jasmine; of gardens, of wildflowers, the mountain air, the sea breeze. We smell good food—appetizing odours! We eat what smells good.

The sense of taste—we take it for granted, but life wouldn’t be much fun without it. If everything tasted the same from chocolates to fish and chips, we would take no interest in our food and would fade away due to lack of nourishment.  Our taste buds keep us going, make life worth living!

And then there’s touch. The touch of a loving hand, the feel of things, good things—your clothes, your books, your intimate belongings, your own flesh. Cold and warmth, pain and pleasure are felt by our sensitive systems. The sense of touch is felt in our brains, and it is there that all happiness resides.

Value those five senses of yours. The more you use them, the better you will be able to appreciate your life and all that the world has to offer.

Ruskin Bond reminds us to value ourselves, our time and everything from the tiniest to the largest that weaves the web of life. His words are an island of calm in turbulent seas. He does not paint the world as perfect, but urges us to look for the rays of sunshine amidst the dark clouds: The human race is destructive by nature, only too ready to go to war or to pollute and do away with seas, rivers, forests, and our natural inheritance; but now and then along comes someone who can create something beautiful, meaningful—a great painting, a piece of music, a work of literature or philosophy, something that survives the conflicts  and injustices that are the main features of human civilization, past and present. But in the darkness there is a gleam of light, and we can turn away from the ugly to appreciate the beautiful.

Simple words that have continued to offer solace, hope, and a quiet joy as I have grown older with Ruskin Bond over the decades.

Happy Birthday Ruskin Bond. As you remind us: Don’t wait for your birthday. Make today your birthday.

(Excerpts from The Golden Years: The Many Joys of Living a Good Long Life. Ruskin Bond 2023)

–Mamata

WAR AND PEACE: BERTRAND RUSSELL

~ millennialmatriarchs ~ Leave a comment

The media has been bringing to our homes never-ending images of different parts of the world which are in the throes of war. The world is on the brink of what could well be the third world war. At some level people are becoming dangerously inured to the horrors through the never-ending barrage of images and reports that have almost become a part of daily sights and sounds. This in itself is frightening; are we accepting that violence (and its consequences) are an inescapable part of life? And while the world is led by egoistic power-hungry leaders, there is a rapidly declining number of people who feel helpless, even hopeless at the situation as it spirals towards a possibly irrevocable conclusion. Amidst the clamour of belligerent war cries, are some who lament that there are, today, so few voices of reason to remind the world of the precipitous path that we seem to be treading.

What does war achieve? And why do we need to seek peace?

Questions that have been asked since millennia. And answered in different ways in different periods of history. Perhaps one of the most pertinent answers came over a century ago, at a time when the sparks of what became the First World War were just beginning to fan the fire that would rage for the next four years. This was an essay titled The Ethics of War, written by Bertrand Russell in 1915. This was first published in the International Journal of Ethics 25, in January 1915.   

Bertrand Russell is considered as one of the greatest philosophers of the twentieth century. He was actively engaged in numerous social and political issues controversies of his time. A mathematician, educator, social critic, pacifist and political activist, Russell authored over 70 books and thousands of essays and letters addressing a wide range of subjects. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1950 in “recognition of his varied and significant writings in which he champions humanitarian ideals and freedom of thought. Bertrand Russell died in 1970 at the age of 97. Till the end of his life he supported free thought in religion and morals, he opposed war, nationalism and political persecution.

Bertrand Russell’s thoughts on all of the above are beautifully articulated in the essay The Ethics of War. Here are some excerpts:

The question whether war is ever justified, and if so under what circumstances, is one which has been forcing itself upon the attention of all thoughtful men. On this question I find myself in the somewhat painful position of holding that no single one of the combatants is justified in the present war, while not taking the extreme Tolstoyan view that war is under all circumstances a crime. Opinions on such a subject as war are the outcome of feeling rather than of thought: given a man’s emotional temperament, his convictions, both on war in general and on any particular war which may occur during his lifetime, can be predicted with tolerable certainty. The arguments used will be mere reinforcements to convictions otherwise reached. The fundamental facts in this as in all ethical questions are feelings; all that thought can do is to clarify and systematize the expressions of those feelings, and it is such clarifying and systematizing of my own feelings that I wish to attempt in the present article. 

At the beginning of a war each nation, under the influence of what is called patriotism, believes that its own victory is both certain and of great importance to mankind. By concentrating attention upon the supposed advantages of victory of our own side, we become more or less blind to the evils inseparable from war and equally certain whichever side may ultimately prove victorious. Yet so long as these are not fully realized, it is impossible to judge justly whether a war is or is not likely to be beneficial to the human race. Although the theme is trite, it is necessary therefore to briefly remind ourselves what the evils of war really are.

To begin with the most obvious evil: large numbers of young men, the most courageous and the most physically fit in their respective nations, are killed, bringing great sorrow to their friends, loss to the community and gain only to themselves. Many others are maimed for life, some go mad, and others become nervous wrecks. Of those who survive many will be brutalized and morally degraded by the fierce business of killing, which however much it may be a soldier’s duty, must shock and often destroy more humane instincts.

The evils which war produces outside the area of military operations are perhaps even more serious, for though less intense they are far more widespread. …The extent and consequences of the economic injury inflicted by war are much greater than is usually realized. …Thus war, and the fear of war, has a double-effect in retarding social progress: it diminishes the resources available for improving the condition of the wage-earning classes, and it distracts men’s minds from the need and possibility of general improvement by persuading them that the way to better themselves is to injure their comrades in some other country.

Of all the evils of war the greatest, in my opinion, is the purely spiritual evil: the hatred, the injustice, the repudiation of truth, the artificial conflict, where if once the blindness of atavistic instincts and sinister influence of anti-social interests, such as those of armaments with their subservient press, could be overcome, it would seem that there is a real consonance of interest and essential identity of human nature, and every reason to replace hatred by love.

It has been over a century since this impassioned plea by Bertrand Russell. Much has changed since then, but much remains the same. Let us remind ourselves of the futility of mindless violence. Let us Give Peace a Chance.

–Mamata

A Curious Herbal: Elizabeth Blackwell

~ millennialmatriarchs ~ Leave a comment

One has heard of herbal teas, herbal treatments and herbal facials, but this was the first time that I heard about a curious herbal! Of course my curiosity was piqued! I discovered that while today the word ‘herbal’ is generally used as an adjective, it is also a noun that refers to ‘a book of plants, describing their appearance, their properties and how they may be used for preparing ointments and medicines’. And thus this was the title of such a book first published in England in 1737. The book consisted of five hundred illustrations drawn, engraved and hand-coloured by Elizabeth Blackwell. This was indeed a voluminous ‘herbal’. Why the added adjective ‘Curious’? This refers to an old use of the word to mean ‘accurate and precise’.

The story of Elizabeth Blackwell herself, and how she came to create this book is itself curious and unusual.

Elizabeth Blackwell was born in 1707 in Aberdeen in Scotland. Her father Leonard Simpson was a painter and his daughter inherited his artistic talent. From a young age she loved drawing and painting, and was constantly observing and sketching the natural world around her.

Elizabeth married Alexander Blackwell a doctor and an accountant. They had to move to London when it was discovered that her husband was practicing medicine illegally. But even there Alexander’s unlawful activities resulted in heavy debts that caused him to be imprisoned. Elizabeth was left alone to fend for herself and her child.  In an age when women were not part of the work force Elizabeth drew upon her skill as a botanical artist for survival and sustenance.

In the early eighteenth century, plants were an essential resource for healthcare. Choosing the right plant to treat an ailment was an increasingly precise science, and mistaking one plant for another could have severe consequences. Elizabeth thought of creating an ‘herbal’, an illustrated reference book to help doctors and apothecaries to develop an “exact knowledge” of medicinal plants, their uses and effects in medicine. Before embarking on the project she consulted various botanists and herbalists who advised her that pictures alone would not suffice, these needed to be accompanied by descriptive and explanatory notes. Elizabeth, being trained neither in botany nor in medicine, realized that she would need these inputs from experts. 

But in order to do all this she first needed access to the plants. The Apothecaries Garden (later called the Chelsea Physic Garden) had a vast collection of medicinal plants from many parts of the world. The garden’s director Isaac Rand gave Elizabeth access to the garden. Elizabeth moved with her daughter, to some rooms close to the garden, and threw herself into making botanical drawing from the actual specimens. She began to document the garden’s many indigenous plants, as well as specimens arriving from across the British Empire. She set about not only making highly detailed, analytical drawings of plants from different perspectives and in different stages of growth within the same picture. In addition to their physical characteristics, she also included information about where and when they could be found; their names in a variety of languages; and their curative properties

Her paintings of the plants were precise, and with an artist’s eye, she described the colour and texture of plants in minute detail. She would take each set of completed drawings to her husband in prison and he drafted descriptions for each one. She also managed to get for each plant, along with its English common name, its name in Latin, Greek, Italian, Spanish, Dutch and German. This was in the days well before the Linnaean system of binomial nomenclature provided a system of universal identification. In fact Linnaeus was born in the same year as Elizabeth.

She also became known to prominent doctors and intellectuals who also helped with the supporting text. When a number of the drawings were ready, a team of nine eminent physicians, apothecaries, and a surgeon examined them, and endorsed their authenticity

Elizabeth worked non-stop. She drew, engraved, and hand-coloured each image, managing the work that would normally require several different craftsmen. She prepared four plates every week in instalments, (125 weeks) until she had produced 500 images with bullet points for the medicinal uses for each plant. Elizabeth Blackwell’s illustrations deeply impressed many English physicians, botanists, and apothecaries in mid-18th century London.

Originally published in weekly parts, the first collected volume of A Curious Herbal appeared in 1737. A Curious Herbal received an official commendation from the Royal College of Physicians. Capitalising on this support, E. Blackwell advertised her publication through word of mouth and journal advertisements. It met with moderate success. A second edition was printed 20 years later in a revised and enlarged format.

Through her industry and perseverance Elizabeth was able to pay off her husband’s debts and secure his release from prison. However her personal life continued to be challenging. Her husband Alexander got himself into fresh financial and political difficulties, and was forced to move to Sweden where he was eventually executed for conspiracy. Elizabeth never saw her husband after he left England for Sweden. But she continued to be loyal to him, even sending him a share of the royalties from her book.

She produced no more botanical works. But A Curious Herbal remains a landmark book in the field of medical botany and botanical illustration. In eighteenth century England, with no standing within London’s scientific and medical institutions, Elizabeth Blackwell managed to produce a work that became a standard reference for apothecaries. A Curious Herbal is a monument to Elizabeth Blackwell’s skill not only as a botanist and artist, but also a testament to her remarkable strength of purpose, and entrepreneurship in a male-dominated age when women were only seen as wives and homemakers.

–Mamata

Wordsmithery: Animals as Verbs

~ millennialmatriarchs ~ 1 Comment

I am a logophile! A lover of words in all their forms. So I was excited when I discovered that there is a day called Wordsmith Day! What is a wordsmith and what is this day all about? The term wordsmith is derived from other words like blacksmith, goldsmith, silversmith and locksmith, all of which refer to a high level of competence and expertise in a particular technique, and who work to create something using that mastery. Wordsmith thus denotes a person who possesses a mastery of words and who can mould and craft words to form thoughts and ideas.

Wordsmith Day celebrates authors, editors, poets and other writers and their ability to weave words to create masterful word pictures. 

While I am not sure if I can count myself among the club of wordsmiths, I surely appreciate and enjoy the works of master wordsmiths, in all genres. So it was a happy coincidence that I recently came across an interesting way of comparing characteristics. This initially triggered memories of grammar periods in school when we were learning Similes. As strong as an ox. As busy as a bee. As slippery as an eel. As proud as a peacock. As slow as a sloth…

A simile is an expression which describes a person or thing as being similar to someone or something else. Usually similes combine an adjective with a noun to make the comparison, drawing upon a characteristic feature of the creature.

It is interesting that similes compare unlike things, which makes them different from usual comparisons. However there is another way of comparing. Here, the animal becomes a verb rather than a noun. I thought it would be fun to mix and match, and see how both these kinds of comparisons play out.

Ape: The simile could be ‘as clumsy as an ape’. But we also use the word to mean imitate or mimic. Another member of the menagerie performing the same action would be parrot.

Bat: ‘Blind as a bat’ is an apt description of the bat in the daytime. But the other ‘bat’ (also a noun) has a place of honour in many sports. However ‘to bat’ becomes an action word when it is used to strike a ball. And there you have the batter in action.

Dog:  As ‘loyal as a dog’ is a reassuring trait. But when that loyalty is demonstrated by faithfully following the master, it becomes a verb that indicates the action of ‘following closely and persistently’. When the dog is a hound, the action becomes somewhat distressing as in “that moneylender is hounding me day and night”.

Badger: Is an animal with a tenacious bite that is difficult to loosen. One does not usually compare anyone to a badger, but when someone repeatedly asks questions or makes demands in an annoying fashion, we can rightly demand: ”Stop badgering me!”

Fish: ‘To swim like a fish’ denotes ease and grace of moving through water. But the act of ‘fishing’ is one that pulls the fish out of water by hook (or crook). And hopefully when we describe someone as feeling like ‘a fish out of water’, we assume that person is still very much alive (though probably uncomfortable!) But we also ‘fish’ for items out of our pockets or handbags, as well as ‘fish’ for compliments.  

Slug: Along with snail, this indicates slow and lazy. But the action words are far from sluggish. When you ‘slug’ someone or ‘slug it out’, it takes speed and strength to deliver that punch in the fight. Loading a gun with bullets is also called ‘slugging’, and once fired, a bullet moves with a speed that no slug can ever dream of. ‘Slugging back’ a beer equally denotes a fast gulping action.n.   

Worm: Denotes a creature of the dirt, and may be used synonymously with creep, or louse. While a worm may burrow in the soil, its action verb, ‘to worm out’ means to extract or remove what should remain within. ‘Worming out’ such information may require a range of tactics from subterfuge to manipulation to force. While it generally denotes extraction, one can also say that someone will ‘worm’ their way in. 

While worming usually involves indirect methods, information that is ‘ferreted’ out is usually obtained by searching for it in a determined and assiduous way: a close match to the ferret’s hunting instincts and natural ability to navigate burrows to search out animals.  

Leech: There was a time when ‘to leech’ meant to heal or to cure. To leech someone was to care for their wellbeing. This referred to the time when leeches were used to drain out bad blood to remove the toxins in the body. With medical advances, these references became obsolete. Now we use ‘to leech’ to refer to the act of being parasitic, sponging, or freeloading.  

Wolf and Pig: In the old fairy tale it was the hungry wolf who huffed and puffed to bring down the houses of the three little pigs, in the hope of a tasty meal. Today too, it is hunger that drives us to ‘wolf down’ food (devour ravenously). Interestingly it is probably the same hunger that leads us to sometimes ‘pig out’, that is to gorge on something or eat greedily.   

Ram: When two rams fight for dominance, they charge at each other head-on, and smash into each other locking their strong horns. The action has evolved into a verb that evokes a smashing forceful action as in ‘the car rammed into the pillar’, or ‘that really rammed home the message’.  

Bear: Some people are as grumpy as a bear in the morning. But the description does not have much in common with the verb that denotes more responsible actions—‘to carry, to bring, to endure’. People bear children, some bear arms, others bear responsibility for their actions. We bear the weight of, and some bear the brunt of, and a tree will bear fruit. Not quite relatable to the animal at all!   

Lots of play on words! A fun way to mark Wordsmith Day on 3 May!

–Mamata

Celebrating Mother Earth: Pachamama

~ millennialmatriarchs ~ Leave a comment

This week the world celebrated Earth Day on 22 April. What started in the United States in 1970 as a one-day demonstration of concern about the threats to the natural environment, grew into a sustained global movement to conserve and protect our Planet Earth which is increasingly threatened in every way. Earth Day continues, to this day, as the largest secular day of celebrating Mother Earth across the world.

The reverence and celebration of Earth as the all-sustaining and nurturing Mother goes back millennia. All indigenous cultures believe that Earth sustains and nurtures all living things, of which humans are but one part. This belief is manifested in the traditions and practices of communities in different parts of the world. One of these is the deification of the Earth as a Goddess, especially in indigenous cultures of the Meso-Americas. This Goddess is Pachamama.

In the culture of the Andean people Pachamama represents the Earth and all its life forms. The word Pachamama comes from the Quechua, an ancient language of the Andean people. Pacha means ‘world’ and mama means ‘mother’, translating to ‘Mother Earth’. It represents the Goddess that exists in all elements of nature. It is the spirit of the land, the essential force that sustains life. Communities celebrate Pachamama through ceremonial rituals and offerings before embarking on any important activity: as a prayer for good crops; to overcome adversities, or requesting protection for livestock, people, and all living things. They also offer thanksgiving for each season’s harvest. The ceremonies demonstrate the integral role that Pachamama plays in agriculture and their daily sustenance. For the Andean people, who have a tradition of herbal medicine, Pachamama is also integral to health and well-being. They believe that honouring Pachamama supports both physical and spiritual health.

Pachamama is a vital life force encompassing four cosmological Quechua principles of Water, Earth, Sun, and Moon, which she embodies as the ultimate Earth Mother deity. The word thus is also taken to mean Mother Cosmos.

For the Andean people Pachamama’s presence is woven into the daily fabric of their lives. As a powerful force that sustains and nourishes, they are careful that their actions should not provoke her wrath. They believe that earthquakes are a manifestation of her displeasure. The rituals and traditions such as challa a ritual where a small portion of chica a fermented corn drink is poured on the ground as an offering to the Goddess, and offerings of cocoa leaves are a symbol of the respect and reverence of the people for Mama Pacha or La Pachamama as she is also called. Another ritual includes burying food, throwing sweets and burning incense to give thanks for the harvest. This is an expression of Ayni, the principle of reciprocity, a giving back to the earth, fostering a balanced relationship between Nature and humans. Shrines dedicated to the goddess are also constructed from natural materials such as tree trunks or rocks.

As in all cultures, culinary traditions also play a part in expressing gratitude for the sustenance that the earth provides. The preparation and sharing of Pachamanca, as part of community feasts is rich in symbolism. The word comes from the Quechua words for ‘earth’ and ‘pot’, and refers to the feast of potatoes, meats, vegetables, and sweet potatoes and corn that have been steamed in a stone-heated, herb-infused underground oven. The oven is made in a pit in the earth, lined with a sequence of layers of stones which have different heat holding capacities. The stones symbolize Inti, the Sun God, and the source of warmth. The ingredients are wrapped in banana leaves and also layered according to their cooking time, from meat and potatoes at the bottom to fruits such as plantains and pineapples at the top. Following a smattering of herbs and beans, the earthen oven is covered with soil and the buried ingredients cook slowly as they are imbued with aromatic heat and smoke. The ritual of burying the food signifies a return to the womb of Mother Earth. Pachamanca is a tribute to Pachamama, with all the offerings fed to the Earth before they are ceremonially dug out and shared to be eaten by the community. Even today this traditional feast symbolizes the community’s history and tradition of thanksgiving and reverence for the all sustaining Pachamama.

The concept of Pachamama symbolizes the interconnectedness of all living things who are sustained and nurtured by a healthy and vibrant Earth. This concept has resonated with ecological movements across the world. And yet, day-after-day, this Earth is being damaged, disturbed and pushed to the brink in every sphere.

It is in such dire moments that we need to look for some rays of hope. The concept of Pachamama is a reminder that we need to look beyond our own needs, wants and luxuries to remember and respect the source of all that meets these human demands. 

Several years ago I was part of an international project that invited contributions from young people around the world to read the UN Global Environment Outlook Report and send in their reactions and responses to the state of the environment, as well as suggest possible ways of tackling these issues. Case studies and examples of positive actions were also collected. The enormously rich inputs (text as well as visual) were sorted and edited also by a panel of young editors. The outcome was a heart-warming book. The unanimous choice for the title: Pachamama: Our Earth Our Future.

This stemmed from one of the young editors: I have visited South America and I have a personal relationship with Pachamama. I know her—she exists. She breathes in the forests, she rages in the earthquakes and volcanoes, she flows through the rivers and crashes on the shore with the sea. I feel her arms around me, nurturing me and all she asks of me in return is to love her, care for her, nurture her.

–Mamata

Musa Sapientum: The Fruit of Wise Men

~ millennialmatriarchs ~ Leave a comment

On 10 April 1633, the window display of the shop in London attracted huge crowds. It displayed a hitherto unknown, and unnamed item. The displayer Thomas Johnson, a herbalist, botanist and merchant described it thus: The fruit which I received was not ripe, but greene. This stalke with the fruit thereon I hanged up in my shop, were it became ripe about the beginning of May, and lasted until June. Each of them (the fruit) was the bignesse of a large beane some five inches long and an inch and a half in breadth. The stalk is short and like one’s little finger. They hang with their heads down, but if you turn them up, they look like a boat. The husk is easily removed. The pulp is white, soft and tender and ate somewhat like a musk melon.

What was this fruit that he so described? Hard to believe, but this was the banana! How, and from where a bunch of this mysterious fruit reached the shop remains a mystery in itself, but it is believed that most people in England had not seen a banana even by the end of the 19th century when regular imports started from the Canary Islands.

And yet, it is believed that bananas were among the oldest cultivated fruit. They probably originated in the jungles of Malaysia, Indonesia or the Philippines and some parts of India where they grew in the wild. Modern edible varieties of the banana have evolved from the two species–Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana and their natural hybrids, originally found in the rain forests of S.E. Asia.

During the seventh century AD their cultivation spread to Egypt and Africa. The fruit may have got its name from the Africans, as the word is derived from ‘banan’ the Arab word for ‘finger’.  A cluster of bananas is called a ‘hand’.

Bananas were first introduced to the Western world when Alexander the Great discovered them during his conquest of India in 327 B.C. The fruit spread through Africa and was eventually carried to the New World by explorers and missionaries. Bananas started to be traded internationally by the end of the fourteenth century.

However it was not until the late mid-1800s that bananas became widespread on the North American continent. The first enterprise to import bananas into the US was the Boston Fruit Company.

Carl Linnaeus, the 18th century Swedish botanist whose work led to the creation of modern-day biological nomenclature for classifying organisms was the first person to successfully grow a fully flowered banana tree in the Netherlands.

The development of railroads and technological advances in refrigerated maritime transport subsequently enable bananas to become the most traded fruit in the world.

Today bananas are grown in more than 150 countries, and it is widely believed there are more than 1,000 types of bananas produced and consumed in the world. The most common and commercialized type is the Cavendish banana which makes up around 47 of global banana production. This is a high-yielding variety which is also less damage-prone and more resilient in case of natural disasters.

Although we generally describe it as a banana ‘tree’, technically this is not a tree. Bananas, botanically, are considered to be big herbs, because they do not have a woody stem or trunk which is one of the characteristics of a tree. Instead they have a succulent stalk or pseudostem which begins as a small shoot from an underground rhizome and grows upwards as a single stalk with a tight spiral of leaves wrapped around it. Banana leaves are extensions of the sheaths.

To add to the confusion, the banana ‘fruit’ as we call it, is botanically a berry! While we associate berries with small, squishy fruit that is picked off plants, the botanical definition refers to any fruit that develops from a flower containing a single ovary, has a soft skin and a fleshy middle, and contains several seeds. Bananas tick off all these boxes and are thus technically berries!

The botanical kin of bananas include tomatoes, grapes, kiwis, avocados, peppers, eggplants and guavas. Botanically all berries!

Bananas have long been high on the list of ‘super foods’, endorsed from all schools of health from Ayurveda to the newest ‘wellness’ trends. Its versatility was noted even by Linnaeus who envisaged its numerous medicinal values. The banana is literally ‘wholesome’ from A to Z! It is the panacea for all ills from acidity and anaemia, through cramps, depression, mood elevation, PMS, stress relief, and more, all the way to bringing in some zing to tired bodies and minds! Even the banana peel with its blend of acids, oils and enzymes has multiple uses from healing wounds to polishing shoes!

And the banana is a wonderful example of Nature’s perfect packaging. The artful positioning of the individual bananas to form a beautiful cluster or ’hand’ arrangement which can be hung; the tamper-proof skin that protects the soft and perishable flesh within; the nifty top opening that allows for an easy peeling back; and after all that, a covering that does not add to the litter but silently biodegrades to merge back into the soil. No wonder its botanical name is Musa sapientum: the fruit of wise men.

In India the mango always lays claim to being the king of fruits; the solid trustworthy banana is taken much for granted, as it does not make a dashing seasonal appearance and compete for awards of the most varieties and the best of them all. And yet this is the comfort food that is usually on hand, and one that almost every person can afford. It certainly was my father’s favourite, and now is the favourite of his great grandson who endorses Daddy’s maxim of Sabse Achchha Kela (banana is  bestest!)

Why this sudden paean to the banana? Well, I discovered that in America, the third Wednesday of April is celebrated as National Banana Day every year (reason for this undiscovered). I decided to join the celebrations this year!

Bananas were first brought to the United States in 1876, for the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition. The exotic fruits were wrapped in foil and sold for 10¢ apiece (roughly $1.70 in today’s dollars).

While the mango always lays claim to being the king of fruits, the solid trustworthy banana is taken much for granted, as it does not make a dashing seasonal appearance and compete for awards of the most varieties and the best of them all!

The Banana was my father’s favourite fruit. He always used to say “sabse achha kela!” “Banana is the best”. So true…The scientific name for banana is musa sapientum, which means “fruit of the wise men.”

–Mamata

Celebrating Sapodilla: GI Tag for Amalsad Chikoo

~ millennialmatriarchs ~ Leave a comment

Not long ago I wrote about the Kuchchhi Kharek or Date that was given a GI tag. Just last week another fruit from Gujarat has been given this tag, making it the third fruit from the state (after the Gir kesar mango and Kuchchhi kharek) to be tagged thus. This is the Amalsad chikoo or sapodilla.

We generally think of the chikoo as being a very ‘desi’ fruit with its grainy texture, caramelly flavor and colour, and sticky latex at the stem of the fruit. However, the origin of the fruit can be traced back to the Yukatan peninsula in Mexico. Its history goes back to ancient Mesoamerica where it was cultivated by the Mayans and Aztecs who used its sweet and nutritious pulp was a part of their indigenous diet. European explorers to this region discovered this fruit, and the zapote or chicle spread with them as they continued their explorations across Central America and the Caribbean, and then further afield, reaching Asia, Africa and the Pacific. The well-travelled chikoo adapted to different climates and cultures, thriving in tropical and sub-tropical regions, to become a ‘local’ favourite across different continents. Manilkara zapota (its botanical name) acquired local names like chicozapote, naseberry, nispero, soapapple, sapota, sapodilla, and chikoo.

As with most fruits, chikoo has its share of health and nutrition benefits. Several parts of India provide ideal soil and climatic conditions for cultivating chikoo. In fact India is the world’s largest producer of the chikoo which is also widely exported. There are also several varieties of chikoos grown here. But not every variety of chikoo has the distinction of gaining a GI Tag.

What is this tag and how is it obtained. A Geographical Indication (GI) sign is used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.

Geographical Indications are typically used for agricultural products, foodstuffs, wine and spirit drinks, handicrafts, and industrial products. In the case of fruits and vegetables the product needs to conform to certain parameters such as size, colour, number of seeds, flavour and aroma.

What is important is that the qualities, characteristics or reputation of the product should be essentially due to the place of origin. Since the qualities depend on the geographical place of production, there is a clear link between the product and its original place of production.

The use of place names to identify the place of origin of products goes back centuries. However the legal connotations of such names were introduced in the form of Geographical Index by the World Trade Organization in 1994. In India, the GI tag system came into force in 2003. Darjeeling tea was the first product in India to get a GI tag. But since then the awarding of GI tags has been active, and as of July 2024, there were 605 products with GI status, spread across agricultural, natural, manufactured goods, and handicrafts.

One of the main objectives of the GI tag is to protect and preserve traditional goods and crafts, and the communities that make them. It functions as a seal of authenticity to highlight that a product claiming to be from a certain region is in fact from that region, is produced by people living in that region, and that it meets certain quality standards set up to ensure this. The GI status also offers legal protections since only registered or authorised producers are allowed to use the tag. The GI registration allows registered parties to launch a lawsuit for infringement against unauthorised parties using the tag.

The GI tag values the traditional skills of artisans, unique ingredients, and region-specific delicacies, and agricultural produce. The attraction of a GI tag is that it is believed that it will give the producers a better status and the ability to get better price for their products.

In India, the process of obtaining a GI tag is rigorous, and often takes time. It begins by submitting a physical application by an association of persons producing the goods to the Geographical Indications Registry in Chennai, which is under the purview of Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

 The information in the application needs to prove the historical and regional antecedents of the product. In the case of agricultural produce, details required include the exact area, the cultivar, how it’s grown, how long it had been linked to the region, and agricultural factors that make the ingredient unique. The approval process can take anywhere between one and three years to get the tag, sometimes even longer. For example, it took eight years for the Erode turmeric and Basmati rice to get their GI status. The GI tag is only valid for 10 years, which means that producers have to renew their application to keep the status.

The Amalsad chikoo is not the first chikoo to get the GI tag. It was preceded by another chikoo variety called the Dahanu Gholvad Bordi Chikoo in 2017.This variety cultivated on the Maharashtra-Gujarat border was recognized for its unique sweet taste, soft creamy texture and high nutrition value attributed to the high calcium content in the soil of the area. This region has been a hub of chikoo cultivation for over a hundred years; also it is possible to harvest the fruit here round the year.

Now the Amalsad chikoo joins the club. It was awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in recognition of its “unique characteristics and deep rooted connection to the region”. The chikoo gets its name from a village in Gujarat’s Navsari district. However the region recognised by the GI covers 51 villages in Gandevi taluka, 6 in Jalalpore and 30 in Navsari which together produce about 30% of Gujarat’s chikoo yield. The region has ten chikoo cooperative societies which contribute substantially to the export of this fruit.

The application for GI certification was made jointly by the Gujarat Council on Science and Technology (GUJCOST) and Navsari Agricultural University (NAU). GUJCOST carried out research on proof of origin of the fruit cultivation in Amalsad while NAU worked on the special characteristics of this chikoo variety. This variety is recognised for its exceptional sweetness, fine texture, and long shelf life compared to several other varieties of India. The region’s unique soil composition, coupled with traditional farming practices passed down through generations have contributed to its quality and reputation. The GI certification acknowledges “the distinct quality, taste, and cultivation methods that make Amalsad chikoo a symbol of excellence in Indian horticulture.”

The GI tag is not only enhances the reputation of this chikoo but is a recognition of the traditional agricultural practices of the local horticulture community; this also boosts their business while giving them a level of legal protection. For the rest of us, it is one more incentive to enjoy a chikoo shake, ice cream, or simply chilled slices of this delicious fruit this summer.

–Mamata

Freedom of Imagination Makes a Book

~ millennialmatriarchs ~ Leave a comment

A few years ago an exhibition at a Research Centre at the University of Chicago was titled But is it a Book? The exhibition broke down the classic elements of ‘bookness’ like format, shape and binding.

The walk-through exhibition had a number of objects that through history were considered as ‘books’, ranging from a clay tablet made in the 3rd century BCE to a modern audiobook. But are either of these books? It was up to the visitor to decide. The exhibition posed a series of questions: “Does a book need to have pages? Does a book need text?” It was up to the visitors to decide. And each decision led the decider down a different path.

If some adults find the journey of exploring and discovering what makes a book, and furthermore, what makes a good book interesting, this exploration is even more adventurous when we enter the realm of children’s books. It is generally accepted that good children’s books are a blend of engaging storytelling, relatable characters, age-appropriate language, vibrant illustrations, cultural diversity, emotional depth, interactive elements, and timelessness. Each of these elements is deep and has numerous facets. And there is no magic formula; even if all these elements are present, it does not guarantee that the outcome is a ‘great’ children’s book.

Perhaps one element that is not explicitly listed, and which may be the key, is the ability of the author to think like a child; to recall how the world seemed as a child—the sense of mystery and discovery, the sense of wonder and anticipation, the sense of being insignificant and powerless in a world of adults…And to translate these complexities into a story that feels true to its young readers, wherein the spark of their imagination is ignited, to explore their imagination, and develop their creativity.

These are the guiding tenets of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), an organization which represents an international network of people from all over the world who are committed to bringing books and children together. The mission of the IBBY includes the promotion of international understanding through children’s books, giving children everywhere the opportunity to have access to books with high literary and artistic standards, and encouraging the publication and distribution of quality children’s books, especially in developing countries.

The IBBY also promotes the celebration of International Children’s Book Day. This is celebrated every year on 2 April, to mark the birthday of Hans Christian Andersen, whose fairy tales have been an integral part of the childhood of many generations.

International Children’s Book Day (ICBD) emphasizes the significance of high-quality literature for children and the creativity it fosters. It highlights the love of reading that unites children worldwide. In high-quality children’s books, the reader’s imagination is kindled and developed. These books help children to explore their imagination, to develop their creativity and to see the world in a new way.

Each year a different National Section of IBBY has the opportunity to be the international sponsor of ICBD. It decides upon a theme and invites a prominent author from the host country to write a message to the children of the world and a well-known illustrator to design a poster. The host country for this year’s ICBD is the Netherlands. The theme for 2025 is The Freedom of Imagination. This derives from the belief that good books invite readers to interpret the words for themselves, making the story their own.

The poster for the theme is designed by two Dutch creators of children’s books, and the message of the theme is highlighted with the last sentence of the poem The Language of Pictures: Make pictures for my poem, and please feel free: these words belong to you even though they came from me.

Reading about this brought back memories of a wonderful project that I was involved in, many years ago, and which was sparked by the same message.

As environmental educators at the Centre for Environment Education, my team and I had diverse opportunities to develop creative teaching-learning resources for teachers and children. Perhaps the most exciting of these was a project to develop children’s books on four different themes: Pollution, Forests, Waste, and Conservation of Natural Resources. The form, format and presentation was left for us to decide. This presented an exciting blank canvas, as well as the challenge to be creative while still retaining the educational objectives for each theme. The outcome was the decision to develop books in four very different formats: a magazine format for Pollution; a collection of folk tales from the region for Forests; a quirky mystery story for Waste. But when it came to Natural Resources we were stumped! What was a manageable way of covering the wide range and scope of the theme?

Much brainstorming later this took the form of verses through which we could take “poetic liberties” by bringing together different natural resources. To make it more fun, we decided to do this alphabetically. Hence the title ABC…Naturally. And so the R page could have a verse with the words: rivers, rainbows, reptiles, roots, rainforests, resources, recycle, reuse and reduce.    

With such a motley assortment of words in place, there arose the next challenge. How would an artist illustrate these verses? As adults we are so conditioned to ‘labels’ and fixing of labels in ‘appropriate places’; this would need a huge leap of imagination. But Eureka! Children could make these leaps effortlessly. And so, we walked into a school and handed it over to more creative minds! We simply gave different children the verses, and gave them the Freedom of Imagination to interpret the words through their pictures, as they saw fit. The result was an incredibly rich and many-layered tapestry where disparate elements seamlessly fell into place. ABC…Naturally became a shared work, with every child feeling a sense of ownership and pride at being a ‘creator’. It was a true reflection of the freedom of imagination! It was also a validation of the belief that good books invite readers to interpret the words for themselves, making the story their own.

As someone who was deeply engaged in every part of this process, I am excited that the IBBY is celebrating International Children’s Book Day this year by providing a similar opportunity to

children across the world. IBBY Netherlands has launched an International Illustration Competition to encourage children worldwide to use and express their imagination and creativity by creating works of art inspired by the theme The Freedom of Imagination and the associated motto: “Make pictures for my poem, and please feel free: these words belong to you, even though they came from me.”

Details are available on https://www.ibby.org/fileadmin/user_upload/icbd/icbd_2025/ICBD_2025_international_illustration_competition_-_regulations.pdf

https://www.ibby.org/awards-activities/activities/international-childrens-book-day/icbd-2025-sponsored-by-the-netherlands#:~:text=The%20theme%20of%20the%202025,’

–Mamata